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Business owner collapses during Palm Coast council meeting

Published: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 11:42 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 at 11:42 a.m.

A man angry over what he called unfair treatment at the hands of the city became so upset as he screamed at Palm Coast City Council members Tuesday that he knocked over the podium and fell sprawling to the floor.

Gus Ajram, a Palm Coast business owner, was taken to the hospital by fire rescue personnel soon after he fell.

Ajram had been complaining about what he said was unfair and abusive treatment at the hands of the city and its management, including during negotiations over about an acre of land he owns off Bulldog Drive north of State Road 100.

Ajram appeared to realize he needed to calm down soon after he started to speak Tuesday.

“My name is Gus Ajram,” he said. “I'm the (one) who owns the property on Bulldog Drive and I'm sick and tired from the dicta... dicta... (sic) -- I'm going to calm down and speak properly -- from the abuse, just for the simple reason I'm half (racial slur) ... Just the abuse your management and your city ... put on me and put my family through a lot of years. For the abuse!"

Ajram's voice and tone kept rising. He banged on the podium. As he continued, Flagler County sheriff's Capt. Mark Carman, who usually attends City Council meetings, stood up and watched Ajram.

At one point, Ajram seemed to refer to the fact he was Arabic and he talked about a white supremacist.

“This is not American. I'm more American than he'll ever be,” Ajram said, although it was unclear to whom he was referring.

Ajram said he employs more than 18 Americans at his car repair business on Bulldog Drive. He then started to complain about the city's zoning board when he suddenly pitched forward, knocking over the podium and a remote camera, before sprawling on the carpet. Palm Coast Fire Chief Mike Beadle, Carman and Charlie Ericksen rushed to help him.

After a few seconds on the floor, Ajram coughed loudly and complained of a pain in his chest. He said he wanted to get up and leave. But Beadle told him that he was trying to help him and that he could not leave. Other people told Ajram to stay down.

Beadle said Ajram would have to go with the paramedics, who arrived quickly, placed Ajram on a gurney and wheeled him out.

Ericksen, who was to be sworn in as a county commissioner later Tuesday, said Ajram suffered a heart attack within the past year and he was afraid for his friend as he rushed to help him. Ericksen said afterward in a phone interview that he believes Ajram may have suffered a seizure. He said Ajram seemed to be doing better and had calmed down after he was loaded in the ambulance.

The city has bought some property along Bulldog Drive as part of plans to improve the street, which is envisioned as a gateway to Town Center. The city wanted to buy some of Arjam's land and appraised it at $466,000. Ajram asked the city for $1,312,500, which included a 5 percent commission. The city counter-offered $865,000, Beau Falgout, a senior planner, said in an email after Tuesday's meeting.

City Manager Jim Landon said in an interview after the meeting that Ajram and the city just didn't reach agreement on a real estate transaction.

“We are not forcing him to sell. We just said no, we couldn't reach an agreement. We obviously can't reach an agreement; we stopped negotiating,” Landon said.

Mayor Jon Netts said in a separate interview after the meeting that the city diverted Bulldog Drive to avoid Ajram's property after it failed to reach a deal on its purchase. He said besides redesigning the road to avoid Ajram's property, the overall project has been increased significantly to alleviate flooding at Flagler Palm Coast High School.

Nett's said that Ajram's collapse was the first he had seen in his 11 years on the City Council.

"We've certainly never had one collapse at the podium," Netts said.

Ajram's issues with the city date back to at least 2005 when Dick Kelton was city manager and the city extended a moratorium in the Town Center area for four months. The moratorium prevented Ajram from expanding his car repair shop on Bulldog Drive, according to a News-Journal story.

The story quoted two other property owners in the area who were unhappy with the city's action, saying that the city was trying to force them to sell.

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